


Warmth

by hypermoyashi



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternative Universe - only soft and warm things here, Anthromorphs AU, Gen, Hot Chocolate, Not Beta Read, One-Shot, Past Abuse, Tooth Rotting Fluff, catboy!Slaine, except that, give slaine nice things 2kforever, plain!Inaho, winged!Asseylum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:40:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21895279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hypermoyashi/pseuds/hypermoyashi
Summary: Slaine gets to enjoy some hot chocolate with his two good friends, because he deserves nice things.
Relationships: Asseylum Vers Allusia & Slaine Troyard, Kaizuka Inaho & Slaine Troyard
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Warmth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yinghvo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yinghvo/gifts).



> A gift for the lovely Ying, who requested catboy!Slaine and him getting nice things ^^ Thanks for being a great friend, and I really hope your holiday season goes well for you!
> 
> Also I haven't watched or read anything for Aldnoah.Zero in years, so please go easy on this poor soul.

Most would say that the sky is at its most beautiful at dawn or dusk, when the setting sun painted it in every imaginable hue of vibrant pink, gold, and amber. And truly, Slaine couldn’t say a word to refute that. It _was_ beautiful.

Of course, there were also many who might say that a starry night was the most beautiful form the skies of Earth took, each star offering its own tiny ray of light to create a glittering symphony against the backdrop of endless nothing, a reminder of how incomprehensibly large their universe was and how small these tiny humans were in comparison. And again, Slaine couldn’t truly argue with that, either.

Few would say that the clear blue sky, as ordinary and unnoticed as the air they breathed, was their favorite.

This, Slaine would protest, because in his eyes, it was the most beautiful sky the Earth had to offer.

Even in the winter, when the air turned biting and the nights ate the daylight, he still couldn’t help but bundle up and wander outside. Finding a comfortable perch, his favorite being a concrete wall with ocean waves lapping its base, he’d settled there and let himself stare at the sky until his fingers numbed and his lips tinged blue.

That was when he felt something soft drape itself over his back.

He tilted his head back to catch sight of Asseylum, and his furry ears perked up in response. She giggled, always enraptured by the way the inhuman ears betrayed every emotion his face hadn’t already. If his tail wasn’t tucked carefully under his shirt, he knew it’d be flicking in excitement.

They weren’t an uncommon feature in anthromorphs, not like the pure white feathering and proud wings sprouting from Asseylum’s back, so he always wondered why she always seemed to find such awe in them.

“Princess Asseylum,” he greeted, moving to pull himself to his feet before she lifted a hand to stop him.

With a smile, she slipped down to sit next to him. Her wings ruffled behind her, shifting to resettled after the change in balance. “Slaine, it’s cold. You should have put on a thicker jacket.”

“I’m fine,” he insisted. “I wanted to see the sky while the sun was still out.”

She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped an arm around them, and Slaine felt pride soaring in his chest that his princess was comfortable enough with him to relax like that. She turned her gaze upwards, the blue of the sky reflecting in her eyes. “It is very pretty… the blue of Earth’s sky.”

“Do you like it, Princess Asseylum?”

“Of course I do,” she said. “I love everything about Earth.”

The words sparked a warmth in his chest, untouchable by even winter’s chill.

Earth. His home.

And Asseylum loved it.

For that, he would love it, too.

Silence fell between them, but it was a comfortable thing. Their eyes reflected only clouds, and they listened only to the soft sound of rolling waves. Until footsteps shuffled up behind them.

“Seylum, Bat.”

“Inaho!”

“Orange.”

His tone was clipped, and Inaho’s face was impassive; this didn’t bother Slaine, though. It was the standard state of affairs between them, more of a comfortable routine than a genuine disdain that either had for one another.

In fact, Slaine could admit that he respected Inaho for his skill, while he knew the Terran probably felt the same about him. No one could match their teamwork in battle, after all.

Inaho was as bundled against the cold as Asseylum was, and to boot, he had three mugs clutched between his two hands. He offered one to Asseylum first, and she took it with a grateful smile. She cupped her hands around the mug and sniffed, relishing another trivial pleasantries that those who were born and raised on Mars never knew until recently. Her wings twitched behind her in delight.

Slaine thought Inaho would for sure sit across from Asseylum, placing her between the two of them as she so often was, but instead he chose to sit next to Slaine. For once, he was at the center of the group.

Then, he offered the second mug to Slaine.

“...did you make this?” he asked hesitantly. It was more for show. He knew Inaho was a decent cook, and not once had any of his meals ever proved a disappointment.

It didn’t mean he was going to give up his ribbing and their rivalry anytime soon, though.

“Yes.” Inaho never missed a beat, never rose to Slaine’s challenges. They passed over him like water over a bolder, not once budging or swaying to the flow.

In a way, he found it comforting. Inaho was one of the few people he could speak down to without tensing, without wondering when the next blow, the next bruise was coming, when he would cross the line and become too insolent. Inaho never cared, never grew angry. Slaine could say whatever he wanted without fear of Inaho’s ire.

Slaine huffed and took the mug, the warmth making his numb fingers sting. Tentatively, he took a sip of it, and the sweetness of the liquid chocolate was heaven on his tongue. It warmed his core so nicely, not quite being hot enough to feel uncomfortable but just enough to help stave off the winter’s bite.

“It’s okay,” he said, because he’d be damned if he admitted he enjoyed anything Inaho made. “You did an okay job with it, Orange.”

“Slaine,” Asseylum chided gently, but when she caught Inaho’s slight smile, she didn’t push any further.

It was an annoying smile, just barely noticeable on that expressionless husk Inaho called a face. It was an expression that said he saw through Slaine all too well.

Well. They had been friends for some time now.

“It’s peaceful,” Inaho said. “It’s nice.”

“Yes, isn’t it?” Asseylum agreed full heartedly before taking another hearty sip of her hot chocolate. Her wings fluttered behind her.

Slaine felt his own inhuman feature twitch on top of his head, a smile spreading over his own face.

Despite the setting sun, the loss of its warmth; despite the winter sapping the heat from the air and chilling his bones—

Slaine was warm, and he was happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
